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EU Criticized for Video to Attract Women to Science

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The European Union on Thursday launched a campaign -- "Science -- It's a Girl Thing!" -- to attract more young women into science and technology fields. As part of the campaign, the EU placed a video on YouTube, and within a day withdrew the video as it faced criticism for promoting stereotypes. Radio Free Europe summed up the criticisms: "It looks one part girl-group music video and one part cosmetics commercial, with three miniskirted young ladies in heavy make-up dancing and posing with lab equipment and mathematical proofs as a male scientist watches intriguingly. A tube of lipstick forms the 'i' in 'Science.' " The EU appears to be removing copies of the video, but here's one that survives on YouTube: